If you’re wondering where to find the best places to eat in Prague or what the best restaurants in Prague are, then this article will help you plan out your meals in Prague.
Food in Prague is hearty. It warms the bones and is often washed down with a crisp, foam-topped pilsner.
Like much of this region of Europe, you’ll find plates loaded with roasted meats, potatoes served several ways, and a heaping serving of cabbage cooked or fermented into sauerkraut.
While this may not be the most ideal cuisine when visiting in the summer, at any other time of year, the food in Prague is the perfect thing to enjoy after walking around this beautiful city.
Prague Foods to Try
- Chlebíčky – These open-face sandwiches are similar to Spanish pintxos, Danish smørrebrød, or Italian bruschetta. There are tons of toppings available with popular options being sliced roast beef, sliced ham, or eggs with mayonnaise. They usually use a thick slice of white bread that has a nice crispy crust and a chewy center.
- Hovězí Guláš (Beef goulash) – Although not originally from the Czech Republic, you’ll see goulash on menus all over places like Prague, Vienna, and the Baltics. Czech goulash is made with beef and usually served in a thick paprika-rich gravy and plenty of bread dumplings to soak them up.
- Houskové knedlíky – Bread dumplings are a side dish that commonly comes with stews and roasted meat dishes in the Czech Republic. They are made by rolling dough into a cylinder shape and boiling it until it is light and fluffy. The cylinder is sliced into thick rounds and you usually get three or four with your meal. They are chewy, dense, and the perfect way to mop up all that flavorful meat gravy.
- Bramborové knedlíky– Potato Dumplings are another popular side that goes with food in Prague. Similar to the bread dumplings, the potato dough is rolled into cylinders and boiled before being sliced into rounds and served with meat and gravy. These are like huge gnocchi, thick and creamy and yet somehow also light and fluffy.
- Grilované klobásy – These grilled pork sausages can be found at food stalls and restaurants all over the city. They are served in a bread roll with mustard and in some places with tons more options like onions, sauerkraut, and mustard. They’re especially popular in Prague beer gardens during the summer months.
- Palačinky – Czech pancakes that are similar to crepes. They are usually served with jam, sweet cheese, whipped cream, nuts, and even ice cream.
- Svíčková – One of the most popular Czech dishes, it’s sirloin steak served with a sauce made with vegetables with black pepper, allspice, bay leaf, and thyme, and boiled with double cream.
Best places to eat in Prague.
Tips for Finding the Best Restaurants in Prague
Prague is a very touristy city. It’s up there with Rome, Athens, Paris, and London for cities in Europe to visit, and for good reason. It is an incredible place to visit.
But with so many tourists, come many people who want to take advantage of those tourists. Prague is well known for its scams and while the city is doing a lot to stop the blatant scam artists from stealing your hard-earned vacation money, there are still some things that you’ll want to know about visiting the city.
All of this information has either come from the Honest Guide on YouTube or from talking to local tour guides.
- Don’t eat or drink at any of the restaurants in the Old Town Square. It is well known that they water down their beers and in some places, they even have different menus depending on what country you come from (they ask you nicely when you enter the restaurant where you’re from and seat you before they go grab the menu). These different menus have different prices on them.
- Do not eat at the Old Prague Ham stand in the Old Town Square (sensing a theme about this region of the city?). Their ham is very low quality and notorious for making people sick after eating it.
- Pay with a credit card wherever possible. Everyone told me that I needed cash when I was in Prague, but absolutely every restaurant in Prague that I went to accepted credit cards. Always select to be charged in the local currency and let your bank do the conversion. If you are American, check out my advice for the best bank for international travel here.
- If you arrive at a restaurant and there is food on the table (like bags of potato chips), or the waiters bring snacks while you are drinking, always assume that this is not free. You will pay for anything that is brought over, this is simply a way to entice you to spend a bit more money. If unsure, always ask the server.
- Some of the best places to eat in Prague do not have English menus, although the staff usually speak English. I highly recommend downloading the Google Translate app to your phone and then making sure that you download the Czech language once inside the app. This will allow you to take a picture of any menu and then instantly translate it, whether you have data on your phone or not.
Best beer halls in Prague.
Take a Prague Food Tour
If you are short on time or you want to sample a few small dishes at an abundance of great places to eat in Prague, then a Prague food tour is a great way to do that.
It’s also a fun way to learn about the city, meet other travelers, and get some insider tips from local guides. Here are my personal favorites that I experienced on my trip to Prague.
- Half Day Food Walking Tour: This is a fantastic way to sample some of the above-mentioned Prague foods. This incredible tour takes you to six different locations where you’ll sample a whopping 16 different foods along the way. And since it’s a walking tour, you’ll also get to explore some of the city and learn about its history from your guide along the way. Check out that tour and book it here.
- Fun and Food Tours Walking Tour: This is a historical walking tour that stops at five different locations to sample five different dishes. It also includes a local beer or glass of wine at every stop, so you can really taste the city of Prague as you learn about what makes it so special. Book that tour here.
- Local Food and Beer Tour: This small group tour is all about seeing the best of Prague which includes some famous sites as well as a few hidden gems and finishing it off with a local meal and a glass of beer. It’s a real mixture of history, culture, food, and everyday life in Prague on this tour. Book it here.
Map of the Best Places to Eat in Prague
Best Restaurants in Prague
These are 18 of the best places to eat in Prague if you are looking to sample traditional Czech food. There are a few vegan and vegetarian options listed on the menu, but due mostly to the fact that Czech food is very meat heavy, the majority of the restaurants on the list are packed with meat.
I’ve listed where possible, the restaurants that I know for sure have vegetarian options.
Prague restaurants seemed to be very good about listing food allergies on the menus. So if you are gluten or lactose-intolerant, you will likely be able to see from most menus whether or not there is an allergen in the foods.
1. Lokál
There are a few locations for what I would say is one of the best restaurants in Prague. I’ve pinned all of the central locations in the above map.
Lokál is a bar and restaurant that should not be missed on a trip to Prague. When you get a table, they bring over a piece of paper that is full of images of beer glasses. Every time you order a beer they put a mark through one of the glasses and it gets tallied up at the end.
They serve delicious pilsner here and if you have to wait for a table, you can simply grab a beer at the bar and wait outside or next to the bar for a table to become available. Just don’t leave your slip behind!
In addition to great beer, the food here is cheap and delicious. This was probably one of my favorite places to eat in Prague because of the value for money here.
Everything is served with dumplings and as much gravy as you want. Did you mop up all your gravy, but you still have some dumplings left? No problem, just ask your waiter and they’ll bring you more gravy.
This is a particularly good place to try goulash or svíčková (beef sirloin). Both are exceptional here.
Proof that you can have as much sauce as you want when you visit Lokál as well as some of the prices in the local currency.
2. Jizerske Pekarny
This is a fantastic local bakery where you can sample local Czech sweet and savory dishes.
It’s a good place to try chlebíčky, the open-faced sandwiches that are a staple in Prague foods to try. It’s a cheap lunch option alongside a little tart or cake to have for dessert.
It’s also a good option for a budget breakfast. Coffee is strong and tasty and all of the pastries tend to be less than $1.
3. Restaurace Mincovna
If you want to go to one of the more modern restaurants in Prague, but still sample great traditional Czech dishes, this is the restaurant to head to. The vaulted ceilings make it feel like you are in an old-style restaurant, but the decor and style of the dishes served here feel very updated.
It’s a popular spot, so it’s best to make a reservation a few days in advance. Make a reservation through their website here.
The menu here is exceptional, if not a touch heavy (like every good Czech restaurant in Prague). You’ll find staples like svíčková, goulash, roasted duck, and tons of different dumplings on offer.
They have a few vegetarian options in the starters, salads, and main dishes, but not any vegan dishes that I could see.
There is also a huge drinks list including delicious pilsners, dark beers, flavored brandy, and a nice wine list as well.
Czech goulash with bread dumplings.
4. U Červeného páva
This is a classic old tavern, which for me, makes it one of the best places to eat in Prague because of the history and ambiance created here.
On a chilly autumn evening, this intimate little bar-restaurant feels like you have walked into a friend’s house for dinner. The food is warming and utterly delicious.
You’ll find all of the traditional dishes here including the Grilované klobásy sausages and fried cheese. The menu is small but focused on classic Czech dishes done impeccably well.
Head here for a cozy meal with friends or with your partner and you’ll be happy to spend much of the evening eating and drinking over candlelight.
5. Potrefená Husa Hybernská
This is without a doubt one of the best restaurants in Prague.
It is constantly packed with locals and there is almost always a line out the door. Luckily, food is served quickly and table turnover, especially at lunchtime, is pretty fast.
The line goes quickly, but if you are coming for dinner or you are in a larger group, you’ll want to make a reservation. Book a table here.
One of the reasons it’s so popular during the week for lunch is that it has a fantastic lunch special which attracts people on their lunch breaks from work. You can get an incredible plate of food for between $4-7 USD and the food is excellent.
I headed here for lunch one day and got a plate of roasted duck leg with potato and bread dumplings, red cabbage, and gravy for $6 and the portion was more than enough to keep me full for the rest of the day.
One of my favorite meals in Prague from Potrefená Husa Hybernská and it was only $6!
6. Kantýna
This is a very cool bar and restaurant with an interesting concept.
Much like Lokál, you get a piece of paper when you enter the bar. On one side is your drink order and on the other side, is your food order.
You can order all types of drinks from beer to interesting cocktails. In fact, this is one of the best places to eat in Prague which offers cool cocktails alongside their traditional meats.
Like many of the restaurants on this list, this isn’t a particularly great option for vegetarians or vegans as this is mostly a meat restaurant. Everything on the menu can be ordered by weight. You can simply ask for a slice or two of each of the different meats and you only pay for what you order.
It’s also in a beautiful old bank building, so in addition to eating and drinking very well, you can enjoy a lovely setting while you eat as well.
7. Bistro Špejle
This is another fantastic concept and one of the most delicious restaurants in Prague.
You walk in and it’s set up like an upscale buffet. You pick one dish which is mostly a selection of chlebíčky (open-faced sandwiches). However, they also have some other savory and sweet dishes, too.
Each dish has a long toothpick in it and you place those toothpicks into a container at your table. When you are finished eating you pay for the number of sticks you have eaten. Some of the nicer plates of food have two sticks in them due to the cost of the ingredients.
Munch like Kantýna, this is also a great place to eat in Prague if you enjoy your cocktails. You can come here with some friends or on a date and sip some cocktails and get up for a plate or two to nibble on while you enjoy your drinks.
The best places to eat in Prague.
8. Jídelna Světozor
If you’re looking for a place where the locals eat, then this is where you want to go for the best food in Prague.
This is a cafeteria-style restaurant where you go up to the counter, grab a tray and order. The menu, which is a collection of dishes that are pinned to a corkboard, is in Czech, English, and Russian and most of the dishes are under $5 (all are under $8).
When they finish with one of the dishes for the day, they will usually remove it from the corkboard, so if you come later in the day, you may notice that there aren’t that many dishes left to order.
Most of the menu consists of classic Czech dishes of meat, gravy, and bread or potato dumplings. It’s open from 10am until 3pm, so heading here for an early lunch to be able to have plenty of choices is recommended.
The food isn’t just cheap, it’s also very delicious. I imagine if you were going to have some home-cooked Czech food, this is what it would taste like.
Beer halls are some of my favorite places to eat in Prague!
9. Restaurace U Vejvodů
If you want to visit a traditional beer hall in Prague, this is a must-visit.
The nice thing about beer halls in Prague is that they are also some of the best restaurants in Prague.
If you are visiting during the summer months, there is a beer garden with tons of seating outside. The beer garden is actually part of the nearby church and the church simply allows the bar to use it. In exchange, you may spot a monk or two enjoying a beer on the house.
Even if you visit in the off-season, this is a fantastic place to come for a Saturday afternoon or an evening meal during the week. The beer hall area is large and fills up with visitors enjoying the nice selection of draft beers and the delicious food on offer.
One of the best things on the menu here is the smoked leg of pork. They also have a huge selection of snacks to have with your beers like spicy sausage, duck pate with crackers, homemade pork scratchings, and grilled goat’s cheese with fruits and nuts.
If you are traveling with a group of more than two or three, I highly recommend booking a table. You can reserve a table here.
Best restaurants in Prague.
10. U Dvou koček
This is a very traditional Czech restaurant and bar that has been serving patrons for over 400 years. It’s one of the best restaurants in Prague to come to sample a selection of different Prague foods in one place.
If you are dining with a group of more than two people, there is a fantastic sampler platter here that includes duck, pork ribs, traditional sausage, as well as cabbage, and dumplings and you can share all of this between three to four people.
If you’ve already sampled several dishes around Prague, the dish that really caught my eye and that I didn’t see on other menus around Prague was the wild boar goulash.
The goulash was so rich and meaty. The gravy was spectacular and to top it all off, the bread dumplings have bacon cooked into them. A light meal it is not, but it is absolutely delicious.
Best place to sample Czech craft beer in Prague.
11. U Kunštátů
Craft beer lovers cannot miss this spot in Prague. It is perhaps the best place in Prague for sampling Czech craft beer with tons of taps as well as a huge collection of cans and bottles from breweries around the country.
Most people come for a flight of beer which includes a sample-sized glass of six different beers. You can personally select each beer or you can tell the bartender what types of beers you usually enjoy and they will select six that they think you will enjoy. The sampler costs about $10 USD.
You’ll definitely need to have some food with these beers considering most of them hover around 5-8% alcohol! Thankfully, they have a really nice selection of dishes to choose from.
My personal recommendation, if you want to stick to Czech classics, is to sample some of their sausages.
They have a few really delicious options including the traditional Czech sausage. However, they also have some barbecue options like chicken wings and some sandwiches which are less traditional but equally delicious.
Craft beer in Prague.
12. Forky’s Old Town
Do you need a break from all this meat? Or perhaps you’re a vegan or vegetarian in desperate need of a meal. Forky’s is one of the best restaurants in Prague for healthy, meat-free meals.
The menu has a wide selection of healthy salad and grain bowls as well as hummus and falafel, pita wraps, and sandwiches to choose from. They also have veggie burgers with vegan cheeses to choose from.
It’s a great option for lunch or a light dinner. They are open each day from 11am until 9pm and located very centrally in the old town.
13. U Parlamentu
One of the most famous places to eat in Prague if you want to sample some traditional Czech food. It’s partly due to its very convenient Old Town location and partly because the food is really fantastic.
I would say despite being a casual eatery, this is one of the more expensive restaurants in Prague on this list. You are paying for a great ambiance and delicious food, but I think if you are simply looking for dishes like goulash or beef sirloin, head elsewhere.
The restaurant has a very traditional feel inside with a wood-paneled bar and they serve up Pilsner Urquell with the perfect amount of froth on top.
The roasted pork shoulder is a must-have here if you haven’t sampled it elsewhere. It is perfectly cooked and crispy on the outside but can be eaten with a fork because the meat is so tender and simply falls away from the bone. I recommend sharing the plate because it is a lot of meat for one person.
On the weekends and evenings, there is often live music as well, making it even busier with people coming to enjoy a drink.
Craft beer from ROESEL.
14. ROESEL
This was probably my favorite bar in Prague. It’s not the place to come for a complete sit-down meal, but if you want a great bar with seriously gourmet bar snacks, head to ROESEL.
Located just across the Charles Bridge, this is a nice place to head after visiting Prague Castle or as a drinking spot before going to #15 for dinner.
I love the classic pilsners in Prague, but I also love to sample different, perhaps more flavorful beers as well and that’s what you get at ROESEL. They are brewing their own beers and adding a unique twist to classics like pale ales and IPAs.
Alongside their incredible bar snacks like pork rillette, pate, tofu spreads, and homemade pickles all served on delicious toast. This tiny little bar is serving up some of the best beer and snacks I’ve tasted and I really cannot recommend a stop here enough.
One of the best meals I had while visiting Prague.
15. U Glaubiců
This is one of the best places to eat in Prague if you want to escape a few of the tourists in the Old Town. Only a few minutes’ walk from #14 ROESEL, this is a great option for dinner while you are visiting Prague.
It is a huge restaurant with plenty of seating, but still always busy with people so it doesn’t feel like it’s too empty either. In fact, I visited on a Tuesday evening and it was packed with both tourists and locals. I actually had to wait a few minutes for a table.
You can book a table here, which is especially recommended if planning to visit on the weekends or with a larger group.
U Glaubiců is a great place to come for top-quality Czech food in Prague. This was up there as one of the best overall restaurants in Prague that I dined in during my most recent trip to the city.
I enjoyed the duck here served with the best dumplings I have eaten in Prague; so perfectly fluffy and chewy and well-seasoned. They have quite a large menu which includes just about every traditional Prague food that you could want to try on your trip to the city.
Inside the butcher shop at Naše Maso.
16. Naše maso
This is one of the coolest restaurants in Prague and one that I recommend checking out on a date or with a few friends. It is both a butcher and a restaurant, which means you will be able to enjoy some top-quality meat dishes here.
If you are self-catering at all while you’re in Prague, I highly recommend coming here for some ingredients to cook at home. In addition to great quality meats, they also have locally made sourdough bread, locally made jams, and other spreads, wine, pates, and so much more.
I came here to eat, but I got so distracted by all of the amazing goodies on offer, I almost had to buy myself another suitcase to take it all home with.
One of the most popular items on the menu to have alongside one of their delicious Czech wines is their burger. It is made with dry-aged Czech beef. It is cooked medium rare and served with cheese, pickles, red onions, and mayonnaise.
The menu changes almost daily, so you can enjoy whatever the butcher recommends that day, which I found to be a fun change from the usual restaurants in Prague.
Some delicious chlebíčky, open-faced sandwiches.
17. Mr. HotDoG
You can’t make a list of the best restaurants in Prague and not include at least one of the city’s best sausage stands.
Mr. HotDoG is serving up some seriously fantastic pork sausages with what I would call some American classic toppings (chili cheese dogs and Chicago dogs) alongside options that I’ve never tried before like bacon jam.
The thing I like most about these, besides the quality of the sausage itself, is that you can simply opt for the classic hot dog and then add whatever toppings you want. I loved it with pickles and caramelized onions.
18. Vegan’s Prague
There aren’t a ton of vegan restaurants in Prague, but they do exist and they are outstanding. Vegan’s Prague is definitely one of the best restaurants in Prague if you are looking for a vegan spot or simply want to escape the meat-heavy meals on offer everywhere else.
The nice thing about this restaurant is that it is one of the few I found that is offering traditional Czech food but done with vegan alternatives.
You can actually enjoy bread and potato dumplings here. They have vegan goulash made with tempeh and svíčková made with root vegetables and tempeh.
They also have veggie burgers, zucchini lasagna, and even vegan-friendly craft beer! The prices are also pretty reasonable when comparing them to other restaurants in Prague with main courses costing between $4-7 USD.
All of the chlebíčky available at Lahůdky Zlatý kříž.
19. Lahůdky Zlatý kříž
A perfect place to stop for lunch when visiting the New Town for things like the moving Kafka head, the Dancing House, or even further south to Vyšehrad.
This is a cafeteria-style place with two main options. You can either head to the right side and order a plate of meat and dumplings or you can head to the left side of the counter and order some chlebíčky, the open-faced sandwiches that are a great budget option in Prague.
This place had some of the best chlebíčky that I ate while I was in Prague and they had a huge selection of toppings to choose from. There were even a few vegetarian options with just cheese and pickles or egg and mayonnaise.
It’s a cheap and quick option for grabbing something to eat while you are touring around this incredible city.